The Argentina international is believed to have handed in a transfer request and explicitly asked to join Louis van Gaal in England after being subject to a £16million bid by the Red Devils .

However, his actions have left him in the doghouse with Sporting president Bruno de Carvalho, who said that the full-back will now face disciplinary measures alongside teammate Islam Slimani - who has also been linked to the Premier League, with Leicester said to be interested.

As a result, both players have been dropped from the matchday squad for the club's season opener against Academica this weekend.

He told Sporting TV: "They will not play next weekend.

"This will take as long as it takes. If something doesn't change, you're going to end up with the players seeing out their contracts.

"They can watch the game on television."

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De Carvalho did not hold back in his assessment of the players' actions, which he said were far from professional, but admitted that the situation regarding their futures has become "complicated" as a result.

"There is no player bigger than the club. I would not give up the honour, the club's history, for the attitudes of anyone," he said.

"These two, in defence of our magnificent group, must be removed. They are subject to strong disciplinary measures.

"Both players have taken decisions that have caused sharp indiscipline at Sporting."